


"Harmless" Pat

by NightOwl1600



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Batbrothers (DCU), Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Dick Grayson is Not Okay, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Jason Todd is Robin, Protective Dick Grayson, Protective Jason Todd, batfam, dick Grayson is Trying His Best, he's just a shitty brother sometimes, tw for people invading your personal space, tw for people making thinly veiled sexual remarks, tw for people not respecting other people's boundaries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28976913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightOwl1600/pseuds/NightOwl1600
Summary: When a woman gets a little too cosy and seems to make Dick uncomfortable, Jason thinks that maybe its time for Robin to save the day.OR Jason being a good little brother and deciding that he and Dick need to have a good long talk about enforcing boundaries.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Comments: 3
Kudos: 215





	"Harmless" Pat

**Author's Note:**

> Read the tags. But nothing goes on. Just sometimes people need to back off. I think of a better summary later. Probably.   
> Just a good long talk about respecting boundaries and enforcing boundaries.
> 
> Inspired by this: https://nitghowl1600.tumblr.com/post/641156835435577344

Jason can’t help but notice Dick does this…thing…whenever someone invades his personal space. Not like, when someone stands to close, but like, when someone touches him.

Dick makes this face like he’s annoyed, which is weird. Jason is used to seeing Dick annoyed (at Bruce, a lot, and sometimes at Jason too), but every time Dick is angry, he lets it show. He says something. Dick doesn’t just take bullshit like he is right now.

“Is that Richard Grayson?” A woman with a honey rich voice croons as she makes her way across the hall of the gala. Jason watches from a few feet away, eyeing the situation as it progresses.

Dick turns to greet her. “The one and only,” he says with his typical gala charm. Dick is a good actor. If Jason didn’t know how much Dick hated coming to Bruce’s functions, then he would have thought Dick was actually as happy as he seemed.

The woman grabs the side of Dick’s torso, squeezes twice, then giggles. All the while Dick just stands there and takes it like he isn’t uncomfortable with someone jumping on him like that. But Jason knows better. Hell, if that was him in the situation, Jason would’ve had that champagne glass in her hand smashed to the ground the second she tried reaching for him.

But Jason isn’t Dick, so he supposed that’s what a Robin is supposed to do in such a situation.

“Woah,” Dick yelps in surprise, but quickly tries to hide it behind his own laugh.

“Look at you, getting so strong!” the woman blinks her eyes promiscuously. “You are quite a snack, aren’t you?” She giggles again, but Jason finds no humor in it.

Yeah, its okay to talk like that with your friends, but as far as Jason can tell, Dick doesn’t really know this woman that well.

Dick slides it off easy even though Jason can see how annoyed he is at the intrusion. All he does is move out of her reach, pretends to check himself out, then adjusts the lapels of his tux. “Yeah, I’ve been trying to keep healthy.” He chuckles like its nothing.

The woman smiles and takes a sip of her champagne before speaking. “Must have a lot of girls flocking over you and that ass of yours,” she muses. Its more of a statement then a question. Jason feels it’s unprompted and kind of awkward, but whatever. Dick is probably in his element right now.

Dick shrugs awkwardly. “I’m really more trying to focus on me and improving myself.”

Ohhh. Bad move, Grayson.

“What? You mean a hottie like you isn’t getting laid every night? That’s such a shame!”

Dick tries not to show how infuriated he is, but the awkward smile is giving him away. Jason thinks that maybe Dick should just tell her that the conversation is making him uncomfortable, so he’s genuinely surprised that Dick just stands there and laughs along with her. “It is what it is. Plus, I’m pretty busy at the police station and I tend to work overnight on cases. Justice never rests, ya know?”

Jason shakes his head. He gets that Dick was trying to casually change the topic of conversation to work, but considering Dick is an officer—

“You’re a policemen? Well I do love a man in uniform,” she giggles again. Its not really as bad as the other comments she’s made but…Jason can see that Dick is still uncomfortable with it and what it implies.

“The uniform is only for when I’m on duty ma’am,” Dick says with a policeman-like authority. “I take pride in what I do and I like to keep the uniform in tiptop shape.”

Bullllllshit. Yeah of course Dick does like his job and helping people. But at the same time, Jason knows part of the reason Dick got the job was so he could be his own version of Batman and Gordon at the same time. No need to find a trustable source inside the police if you _are_ the trustable source inside.

Plus, Jason has seen Dick’s laundry and knows for a fact that his uniform has several stains and wrinkles even when it’s out of the wash.

“Would you believe me if I said that you saying that only makes you sexier?” the woman ogles him again. At this point, even Jason is getting annoyed with the woman. She needs to learn some boundaries.

Well, in all fairness Dick never said anything, hasn’t stood up for himself, hasn’t told her to stop. So….

But still.

Dick shuffles awkwardly, this time letting it be very obvious he’s not comfortable with this conversation. “Right…well I guess we all have our own opinions then. I was going for a more duty-bound feel, but I suppose that didn’t translate well.” He cracks a half smile, but his eyebrows pinch in a way to show he’s annoyed.

“Oh I got that,” she licks her lips and smiles, leaning in closer to Dick. “And that is pretty sexy, Dickie.”

Jason doesn’t like the way she’s says his name. Its weird.

“Ooookay,” Dick is quick to shuffle back this time. “You know, I think I have some other people I’ve got to greet around here. You should stop by the chocolate fountain. I heard its really great. Thank you attending and your family’s donation to the charity is very much appreciated.”

Thank god. Jason thinks its about time Dick left.

Dick smiles and gives her a little salute, a nod towards the whole police officer thing (not that she deserves that but whatever). He then turns to walk away, but before he can, a hand smacks one of his ass cheeks. Dick flinches in surprise and flushes red in embarrassment.

“See ya later, hot-shot,” the woman laughs again, turns to somewhere behind her, and gives a thumbs-up. Just down the gallery, there’s a group gathered around the table, laughing with their phones up. They recorded the entire interaction.

With a face still blushing with embarrassment, Dick turns back to her, only to find the group laughing at that little stunt the woman pulled. Dick looks like he doesn’t know what to do, torn between wanting to tell this woman off and trying to not start a ruckus, especially when he’s being recorded. He’s frozen.

Jason has had enough for one night. That was humiliating and downright cruel. If anything is going to go viral after tonight, it should not be Dick getting his personal space invaded.

It was time for Robin to save the day.

“Excuse me,” Jason quickly grabs three champagne flukes from a waiter passing by, ignoring the protests of being under the drinking age. He dumps one all over his shirt, drinks another, and then saves the last for his big stunt.

He makes sure to cut right between the cameras and where Dick and the woman are standing. With a quick jump-step-hop onto one of the counters, Jason takes center stage.

“Damn! What kind of fuckin party is this?!” He shouts and waves the champagne glasses in air, making it obvious that he is ‘drunk.’ All heads turn to him. He’s even got that nasty woman’s attention. “Turn up the beats, DJ!”

Murmurs, gasps, eyerolls, and headshakes fill the room. “Jason,” Dick whisper-shouts coming up to the counter. “Get off counter.”

“Nuh-uh,” Jason shakes his head, then points to the group that’s recording everything on their phones. “When I say ‘par’ you say ‘ty’! Par?!”

One member from the group has the audacity to encourage him and shouts “Ty!”

“Hell yeah!” Jason waves the champagne fluke before dumping it down his throat.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Dick all but growls. He starts tugging on Jason’s arm and guiding him back to the ground, which Jason allows, seeing that his little stunt is definitely going to outshine that humiliating invasion of personal space that Dick had to experience. Dick looks back the crowd. “Sorry everyone!” he says with a lopsided grin that makes the girls and guys sigh dreamily. “Nothing to see here. If you have time, please try the chocolate fountain!” He quickly ends his speech and drags Jason out the room.

The whispers coming from the crowd as they pass are…less than kind.

“Teenagers.”

“What did Bruce Wayne expect when he picked up a kid off the streets?”

“Such a brat.”

“Wayne really has to teach the kid some manners. He can’t just expect the kid to understand how to act now that he’s here.”

“Jason, are you really drunk right now?” Dick mutters lowly as he guides Jason to one of the exits. Yanking the last two champagne flukes out of his hands, Dick murmurs under his breath, “This is seriously the last thing I want to deal with. I was already having a shitty night, man.”

Jason tries not to let that hurt. If Dick really believes he’s drunk, then that’s a good thing. Means he fooled one of the best detectives out there and probably everyone else in the room.

Yeah…doesn’t hurt.

Dick practically shoves him through the doors and outside to one of the garden spaces with a gazebo and bench that’s a little more private. Its quieter, and no one is around, and all in all if Jason could, he would have rather spent the entire night here than back in there despite the chilly temperature.

Hands let go of him and then come up to Dick’s face in order to stifle a frustrated grunt. “Jason, why can’t you just sit quiet in the corner? Do you know how badly that’s going to come back at us once it makes its rounds in the media?” Dick drops his hands and looks at Jason. The anger is very much obvious this time, and part of Jason is almost relieved to see the familiar sight after that terribly awkward exchange with the woman. But right now, Jason is more annoyed than relieved. “Seriously Jay, how much have you had to drink? You know your not supposed to drink at these things, why would you—”

“I’m not drunk.” Jason grounds out stubbornly. “I only had two glasses.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I can smell the alcohol on you, Jason. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m. Not. Drunk.” Jason repeats himself, waiting for Dick to get over his tantrum and let him talk.

“Oh, you’re not drunk? Then why the hell did you get up on the counter like it was college frat party?!” Dick asks pointing an accusing finger at Jason.

“Cause you were too pussy to tell that lady off!” Jason says it straight. No use in lying.

“Don’t use that word.”

“Are you serious?! That’s what you pick up on. Not the part that where I stepped in to save your ass?”

“How was that saving my ass? You got up there and humiliated yourself and Bruce!”

“Well at least now that’s what the media will talk about instead of your stupid ass cheek getting spanked!”

“I—what…you saw that?” Dick quickly backtracks.

“Uh, duh. And so did all those stupid, bitchass motherfuckers and their stupid fucking cameras. At least now they’ll probably just focus on my stunt so you won’t get humiliated. You’re welcome, by the way!” Fuck it. Jason is going to curse as much as he wants.

“30 in the swear jar,” Dick responds automatically before shaking his head with a groan and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fuck…just…just give me a minute to breathe alright? We aren’t done here.”

Well fuck you too. “Fine.”

Jason takes a seat on the bench and watches as Dick walks away to calm down. Well, shit. If Jason knew he’d be bagged on that much, maybe he shouldn’t have helped Dick. Stupid Dick and stupid rich people and stupid—

A chime sounds from his pocket. Jason pulls out his phone and sees a bunch of incoming messages from friends and classmates with pictures of him standing on the counter. Oh great. Its already circulating. The captions range from ‘Street rat’ to ‘Yo broooo! You’re invited to my next party hahaha.’

Well at least he maybe gets invited to more parties?

“Jason,” Dick’s rough grumble startles him out of his scrolling. “Scoot.”

He reluctantly makes room for Dick on the bench but vehemently avoids eye contact. Both of them just stare out into the distance.

“Run me through your thought process.” That’s an order.

He rolls his eyes. “She was making you uncomfortable. You didn’t do anything. Then she slapped your ass and made a whole show of it to her friends. So I thought I’d save you the humiliation and outdo her stunt with one of my own. Spilled champagne on myself and drank a fluke to make it believable. Not like I’ve got much to lose anyways. People already see me as misfit, so this is exactly what they expected of me.” Jason doesn’t really know what he’s hoping to get out of this. He just wants…something.

But all he gets is silence.

Jason stays completely still, waiting for a response or a sign or literally anything from Dick. He just wants to know why. Why was Dick so angry at him? It takes him half a minute to realize he’s holding his breath.

“Jason, listen, that video of me was probably just going to stay with them. Its not like its big news or something that would get people’s attention. It happens to a lot of people. But what you did will get attention, the bad kind,” Dick looks to Jason and levels with him. “You’re 15 and you look like you’re drunk. That could come back in the form of protective services doing a house search to make sure Bruce isn’t fucking things up with you. You know how everyone wants to snag some Wayne wealth. And who knows? They might accidentally discover the basement.” Dick winks.

Of course, he means batcave.

“So what was I supposed to do?” Jason asks, making his frustration obvious. “Just let them have their way with things? And why didn’t you do anything?”

“Kid, I’m 21. I can handle things myself. And its all a part of the act we have to keep up anyways. It was a harmless pat. That’s it. Yeah, maybe she did push the boundaries a bit, but that’s just something I have to deal with on my own, okay?” Dick reasons.

Jason doubts his words. That didn’t seem like a harmless pat. It seemed more like harassment. “You tried to change the subject, tried to keep it innocent, but she kept sexualizing everything you said. You literally moved away from her and she still kept on pushing, like your comfort didn’t even matter.”

“Jason, you know what I do and who I am. She couldn’t hurt me even if she wanted to. It was just…harmless fun. And anyways, I should’ve said something or made it clearer to her, but I’m an adult man and I can deal with a couple flirts,” Dick tries to assure him.

Oh please. Dick is no adult and Jason would know. He’s seen the man cook—or in other words, set the food on fire.

“Okay, fine. Maybe you could have explicitly said you were uncomfortable, so why didn’t you?” That’s the one thing that’s been on Jason’s mind from the moment this started. Why didn’t Dick do anything?

“Its just one of those nuisances I have to deal with, alright? Gotta keep up that good, charming, Richard Grayson act to keep the big secret.”

Hm. But if that’s so…

“Should I do that too?”

Dick looks at Jason like he’s just grown another head. “No.”

No?

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Grayson?”

“It means—” Dick starts, thumbs twiddling with each other as he racks his mind for the right words. “It means no, Jason. Just no.”

At this point, frustration seems reasonable. Or at least, to Jason it does. “Okay I get that you don’t like me all that much, but I’m trying to fill in your place and do a good job and not let things blow up in my face so I would appreciate it if you would kindly give me some advice that isn’t meant to fucking sabotage me.”

“Yeah, I am giving you good advice. If someone is making you uncomfortable like that, then you tell them to stop or you leave. That’s it.”

“You didn’t!”

Dick runs a hand over his face. “I know I didn’t. Its just…different, okay? I’m 21. You’re still 15. You’re still a kid, Jay. No one should be making you uncomfortable like that, ever.”

“First off, I haven’t been a kid since I was eight. Second, so what? I’m just supposed to…deal with it….once I reach 21?” Jason waves his hands around like they do in those debates to prove his point.

“No. You aren’t supposed to do that either…” Dick trails off, desperately trying to flag down his point.

“So I’m not supposed to do that, but you do it to keep the family secret. You realize you sound exactly like you’re trying to sabotage me into letting everything blow up in my face right?” Jason really can’t let that happen. Its good here, and he really doesn’t want to mess things up.

“No—Jason that’s not what I’m trying to do.”

“So what the hell are you trying to do then, Grayson?!” He feels no remorse for the accusation in his voice.

“I’m trying to teach you that its not okay for people to cross your boundaries and make you feel uncomfortable! Jeez, kid! Would you just shut up for five minutes?” Dick practically shouts.

Of course everything has to end in a shouting match. Of course.

“You such a fucking hypocrite, man!” Jason yells and gets up to pace. “First you say I just have to deal with it, then you say its not okay for someone to make me feel that way. Just make up your mind!”

Dick stands up too. “No, I said I just have to deal with it. Not you, Jason. Do as I say, not—”

“As I do?” Jason rolls his eyes. “You are just like Bruce!” He punctuates that last sentence with a kick to the ground.

“I am nothing like Bruce!”

Oh yeah. He’s _sensitive_ about that.

“Yeah you are! You keep saying how things aren’t okay for me but they are okay for you and that doesn’t make any sense.” Jason is relentless with his argument, not willing to give Dick even an inch of leeway. “ What if it was a girl in that situation? What if it was me, huh? What do you say to that Mr. I’m-Always-Right?”

“Its wrong! Is that what you want to hear, Jason?” Dick is pissed off too.

“So why is it okay for you?!”

Jason waits for a retort that never comes. When he looks up again, he’s stunned to find Dick starring at him with such sad eyes. Makes him feel like he’s kicked a puppy or something. Not that he’s going to apologize though. As far as he’s concerned, he did everything right.

Dick lets out an exasperated sigh and falls back onto the bench. “Look man, I don’t know, okay? I don’t know why I let people walk all over me like that.”

The bubbling fury in him subsides and is replaced now with some icy, hollow feel. He won, but its not a fight he wanted to win. He just wanted to understand.

Jason looks down at him and tries to let out the last of his anger. “You’re stupid.”

Dick looks back at him lamely. “Thanks.”

Great. Now Jason is the asshole. He sits back down on the bench right next to Dick.

“You know, when you’re living on the streets, people who you don’t know that well cross your boundaries like that, they are usually trouble. Like, really big trouble and stuff,” Jason shares. As to why, he’s not really sure. Just thought it’d be good for Dick to know. “People like her are probably the people to avoid.”

The laugh Dick gives him is hollow. “Yeah, well sometimes I don’t have the luxury of avoiding people just because I don’t like them. That’s just how it is when you’re as good-looking as me.” The joke would be funny, if it wasn’t such a sad way to try and cover up a serious topic.

“Is that the advice you’d be giving to other people?”

“I told you already,” Dick sounds exhausted and tired and just done with tonight. “No. I would not tell you to just ‘deal with it.’ I’d tell you to avoid that person or tell them to stop.”

Jason supposes that’s the best he’ll get to a ‘you’re right’ apology.

“Yeah that’s what I thought.” Eh. He’ll let himself gloat a bit. He deserves it. “Take your own advice, Dick. Just because you are _apparently_ good looking, doesn’t mean someone has the right to treat you that way. Doesn’t matter if you’re stronger than her, or whoever else might be doing that. If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t have to put up with it.”

Dick snorts and Jason is honestly offended by that. “That’s some pretty good advice. Where’d you learn that, kid?”

“Told’ya already. Lived on the streets. Red-light district. Lots of bad shit goes on there.” Lots of bad shit that Jason doesn’t really want to delve into right now. “Also Bruce had, like a really comprehensive course about respecting boundaries and having my boundaries respected and shit like that.”

“Of course Bruce did.” Dick grumbles. Jason isn’t sure if he’s upset or tired or some kind of mixture. “Its good advice. You should listen to it.”

“Hypocrite.” Jason insults one last time. Even though he’s still pretty upset, Jason can’t help the wedge of anxiety that’s making its way through him. “Do you really think what I did was that bad?”

Dick glances at him, and whatever he sees must make him feel guilty because he turns back to starring into the distance and sighs. “Nah. You’re fine. I just get worked up at these things and sometimes I overreact about stuff. If anything, people at school will probably think you’re the life of the party or something like that.”

“Oh,” Jason breathes in relief. “…cool. Cool.”

The conversation goes dead after that and the two of them just sit in silence. Its not bad, actually. Jason much prefers this than having to deal with all the people inside. Its quiet and calm and no one expects him to be perfect right now. Truth be told, Jason still doesn’t get why Dick felt like he needed to take it. Maybe some stupid double standard? Whatever. Dick obviously has his own weird thought process when it comes to these things and that’s none of Jason’s business anymore.

“Hey Jay?” Dick speaks up again.

“What?”

“Lets make a deal, alright? If you promise to tell people to back off when you’re uncomfortable, then so will I.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Jeez, you didn’t need to remind me. Why do you assume that I’m just gonna let people invade my space like I’m weak or something.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m just trying to make sure I didn’t confuse yo—you know what? Forget it.” Dick pauses for a second and scratches his chin in thought. “I’ll teach you how to drive the Batmobile if you promise.”

“Shit, really? Fuck yeah!” he grabs Dick’s hand and shakes. “I already do that so this is going to be so fucking easy. But, I guess visa versa too? You should probably not let people walk all over you, or whatever.” Jason cringes at the awkwardness in his own voice.

“Sure kid.” Dick seems a little more relaxed now. A little less angry. Its not exactly a feeling Jason is used to with Dick, but he could get used to it. “Also, that’s another 30 in the swear jar.”

“Well fuck you too.”

“10.”

Hrn. Whatever.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know how to end it. Just a PSA before you leave: doesn't matter if its a guy or a girl or like, anyone making you uncomfortable. If they make you uncomfortable, just tell them to back off. Doesn't matter if they don't pose a physical threat to you. If it makes you uncomfortable, its not okay and you can say something.
> 
> Ok my brain isn't functioning anymore. Thanks for reading.


End file.
